'Selling 'siropas' in Darbar Sahib sacrilegious'

Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, president of Guru Gobind Singh Foundation and former vice-chancellor of Punjabi University, on Monday called upon Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to intervene and stop the 'sacrilegious' practice started by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) of selling 'siropas' (religious robes) at Darbar Sahib on receiving a 'bheta' (donation) of Rs 151 each.

Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, president of Guru Gobind Singh Foundation and former vice-chancellor of Punjabi University, on Monday called upon Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to intervene and stop the 'sacrilegious' practice started by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) of selling 'siropas' (religious robes) at Darbar Sahib on receiving a 'bheta' (donation) of Rs 151 each.

"If this practice is followed by other Sikh shrines, that would mean another downward drift of the Sikh religion," he said, adding that the practice of giving large-sized 'patasha' wrapped in yellow-coloured 'romala' by anyone offering Rs 100 was also contrary to Sikhism, which treats all persons as equal. Such a practice is not followed in any other major religious shrine, he said.

"As the SGPC elections, in practice, are fought by Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal, they must intervene to stop such a practice," demanded Ahluwalia.

He suggested that the siropa should be given to the most distinguished personalities in any field through a procedure laid down by the Akal Takht.